EYFS

The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the foundations for how children learn, behave, communicate, and feel about school for the rest of their education. It is the foundation everything else is built on — academically, socially, emotionally, physically. It’s not “just the early years”; we believe it’s the starting architecture of a child’s entire school journey.

 Foundation Stage curriculum

At Clifford, we believe that the EYFS shapes children’s attitudes to learning and enables them to build the essential skills needed for later learning. To do this, we ensure children feel safe, supported and included by focusing on their holistic development; we value play, prioritise wellbeing, put emphasis on relationships and recognise the whole unique child. 

During the reception year, our children follow the national Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, working towards the Early Learning Goals. This is through the 7 areas of learning;

Prime Areas (3)

1. Communication and Language
2. Physical Development
3. Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Specific Areas (4)

1. Literacy
2. Mathematics
3. Understanding the World
4. Expressive Arts and Design

The Characteristics of Effective Learning (CoEL) are the engine of the EYFS — they describe how children learn, not what they learn. At Clifford Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, Creating and Thinking Critically (the CoEL) underpin every area of development as we believe they are essential for building confident, curious, independent learners. 

We recognise that a child’s first experience in school is very important and our aim is to make school a happy, stimulating and rewarding environment for children to discover, learn and play through a wide range of opportunities.  It is very important to us that home and school, work together in developing an effective partnership. 

An excellent guide for Parents, take a look at -  Welcome to Clifford Primary School